This is another positive move towards the UPC and the Unitary Patent (UP) coming into effect. The process for bringing the UPC and UP into effect has suffered several delays, including most recently the delay in the timetable announced by the UPC’s Preparatory Committee and the legal challenge in the German constitutional court (as reported here).

However, other countries are continuing with the UPC Agreement ratification process. For example, Slovenia signed the UPC Protocol on Privileges on 23 June 2017, and Estonia has seemingly published the law authorizing ratification of the UPC Agreement in the Estonian Official Gazette.

The new expected timetable for the UPC and UP to come into effect will be published by the UPC Preparatory Committee at some point. The start date of the UPC and the UP is likely to be mid-2018 (unless there are any further unexpected delays, of course).